This section focuses on the sitting itself and the first stages of development that follow. It covers observation, conversation, sketches, compositional decisions, and the early studies that help shape the direction of the painting. Together, these posts show how a portrait begins to take form through close looking, collaboration, and careful decision-making.
In painted portraiture, observation is not a preliminary stage to be completed and set aside. It is the foundation upon which the work is built and sustained. A working from life portrait depends on direct, repeated looking, rather than on reference or recollection alone. Observation allows the portrait to remain responsive. It keeps the work […]
In portrait painting, questions of likeness are often accompanied by a quieter, more complex concern. It is not always voiced directly, but it sits beneath many early conversations: Will the portrait be flattering? This question is rarely about appearance alone. It touches on how a sitter wishes to be seen, remembered, or understood. The relationship […]
In painted portraiture, likeness does not begin with detail. It begins with structure. The initial stages of building portrait likeness focus on proportion, orientation, and the underlying relationships that hold the image together. At this stage, the work may appear sparse or unresolved. This is intentional. Structure establishes the conditions in which likeness can emerge, […]
Settling into sitting is often misunderstood as an act of physical stillness. In practice, it begins elsewhere. Ease precedes stillness, and without it, sustained observation becomes difficult. When a sitter first arrives, attention is still dispersed — shaped by movement, conversation, and the transition into the studio environment. Settling does not occur through instruction or […]
A first portrait sitting is often approached with an unspoken expectation that something definitive should happen. This expectation usually comes from experiences elsewhere — photography, formal appointments, or situations where outcomes are immediate and visible. Portrait painting operates differently. The first day does not exist to resolve the work, but to begin it. What matters […]
One of the least intuitive aspects of commissioned portraiture is its relationship with time. The portrait sitting pace is deliberately slower than most sitters expect, not as a matter of tradition, but because sustained observation requires it. Unlike photography or other time-bound forms, portrait painting depends on duration. The work unfolds through repeated looking rather […]
This complimentary brochure offers insight into the portrait process, the types of portraits available, and what it’s like to collaborate on a handcrafted oil painting. Save it for future reference or begin your portrait journey today.